Seat-cushion.



T. N. BURKE. SEAT CUSHION.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1906.

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PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS N. BURKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SE AT-GUSHION.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS N. BURKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Seat-Cushions, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a detachable cushion which will be automatically locked to the seat when arranged in proper position thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide locking means of novel but simple construction for securely fastening the cushion to the seat, which means can only be unlocked by the use of a master key of peculiar construction. And a further object of the invention is to provide for easily and quickly refilling the cushion when desired.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention and referring thereto Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the cushion, parts of which are broken away to show the construction more clearly. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a section of the seat showing the lock strike. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the key. Fig. 5 is an end view of the key. Fig. 6 is a top plan view.

Referring to the drawings the cushion comprises a base A, a covering a and a filling a, the covering being fastened to the base at the edge thereof and in any suitable manner. To avoid warping and. splitting I prefer to build the base A of a number of pieces instead of making it in one piece and to this end I provide four side strips B lap-jointed at their ends I) and fastened together by nails or screws 7) driven in from the top of the base so that they will not bear on the bottom of the cushion. Two of the side strips B are provided with inwardly projecting ribs 5 and a central section O and two side sections 0 are fastened side by side to these ribs by screws 0. The sections C and 0 completely fill the rectangular opening formed within the side strips B and while the central section C may be made permanently fast to the side strips I prefer to make the side sections a readily removable so that whenever the filling becomes matted down and hard the side sections can be removed to permit withdrawal of the filling and the substitution of other filling. This is the preferred construction of the base but it can be changed in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 21. 1906- Serial No. 302.216.

Patented Feb. 4:, 1908.

I various particulars as to the size and proportion of parts and details of construction without departing from the invention.

The seat D is provided with an opening d I which may extend entirely through the seat or be made in the form of a socket or recess of sufficient depth to receive that part of the locking means which enters therein. A lock strike in the form of a plate E having an opening 6 is fastened to the seat over the opening (1 therein and this plate has one or more notches e in its inner edge for the purpose hereafter described.

The cushion has a central opening F, and the frame G of the lock is secured in this opening to the base A. This frame has an outwardly projecting flange g to rest upon the top of the base A and a detachable ring g surrounds the frame and rests against the bottom of the base. Bolts g pass through the base, the flange and the ring g and securely fasten the frame and the base together. The frame G projects below the base A to enter the opening (1 in the seat and it is provided with a chamber or cavity H for the locking spring h. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the spring is made of spring wire coiled at h and has arms I which terminate in fingers 1' projecting laterally through openings t in the frame. The fingers are adapted to engage the underside of the lock strike and their ends are beveled at 'L. When the cushion is being arranged in place on the seat the fingers will be forced inward when their beveled ends engage the lock strike so that the fingers will pass the strike and then spring out beneath the same, as shown in Fig. 2. The frame may be made hollow or an opening J can be provided at its bottom to prevent the accumulation of dirt in the frame. One or more ribs are provided on the frame G to enter the notches or recesses e in the lock strike, and the ring g has notches or recesses j corresponding with those on the strike plate. The ribs insure the arrangement of the cushion on the seat in its proper position for otherwise the frame will not enter the opening in the seat. Extending the frame below the base A of the cushion not only provides a guide and protection for the spring lock but prevents the improper use of the on the cushion seat. If the cushion is placed on the seat without inserting the frame in the opening (1 the cushion will tilt to an uncomfortable position and hence the projecting end of the frame makes it necessary to arrange the cushion in its proper position on the seat for use.

' The unlocking key K has two parallel prongs k spaced apart and provided on the inner adjacent sides of the lower ends with oppositely arranged cams is. One side edge L of each prong has a cam face to engage oppositely disposed ribs Z within the frame, these ribs being located at the sides of the spring between the arms thereof. The key is shaped to enter the chamber or cavity in the frame and when it is inserted therein the cams L will engage the ribs Z and partly turn the key until the cams 7r thereon are brought into operative engagement with the arms of the spring when the key has been completely inserted in the chamber. Then, by turning the key the cams compress the arms to draw the fingers inward so that their ends will clear the lock strike and permit the removal of the cushion. The ribs Z also prevent the key from turning completely around which would result in relocking the cushion and they also serve in a measure to prevent the use of any other key.

My invention is especially adapted for use at ball games and similar places of amusement where cushions are rented for a nominal price to individuals who themselves ar range the cushions in place on the seats. Sometimes the cushions are rented to the spectators as they enter the grounds and sometimes attendants pass through the stands renting the cushions after the spectators are seated. Heretofore cushions have been used which are not provided with any means for locking them to the seats but this plan is objectionable for the reason that the spectators often throw the cushions around, and not only injure the cushion but also the spectators. My invention provides a cushion which can be rented in the usual manner and locked to the seat by the spectator himself without the necessity of using a key and which can be removed from the seat only by an attendant with the unlocking key.

I have shown the cushion made in a substantially rectangular form in the preferred construction illustrated in the drawings and the stop ribs 3' and notches e are provided to prevent the cushion from being turned around. on the seat after the cushion is locked but obviously the cushion can be made of circular or other form' and the ribs and notches 6 may be omitted, if desired.

When the key is inserted in the chamber of the frame the prongs are arran ed to straddle the spring, and the cams L wfil ride against the ribs Z to turn the key, as it enters the chamber, and cause the cams Ir to engage the arms I.

That I claim and desire to secure'by Letters Patent is:

1 The combination of a seat, a lock strike on the seat having an opening and notches therein, a detachable cushion, means carried by the cushion to automatically make looking engagement with the lock strike when the cushion is arranged in place on the seat, and ribs on the cushion to enter said notches.

2. The combination of a seat, a lock strike on the seat, a detachable cushion having a central opening, spring arms carried by the cushion in said. opening, fingers on said arms to make locking engagement with the lock strike when the cushion is arranged in place on the seat, and a key adapted to be inserted in said opening to release the fingers.

3. The combination of a seat, a lock strike on the seat, a detachable cushion having a central opening, a spring made of spring wire arranged in said opening, said spring having arms connected at their upper ends by a coil and provided at their lower ends with laterally projecting fingers to engage the lock strike, and a removable key adapted to be inserted in said opening to release the fingers.

4. The combination of a seat, a lock strike on the seat, a detachable cushion having a central opening, and yielding fingers carried by the cushion below said opening to automatically make locking engagement with the lock strike when the cushion is arranged in place on the seat, said fingers having beveled ends whereby they are caused to move inwardly when said ends engage the lock strike in arranging the cushion in lace.

THOMAS N. BURKE. Witnesses:

M. A. KIDDIE, WM. 0. BELT. 

